Pakistan mob sets fire to Hindu temple: officials

KARACHI (AFP) - An angry mob of dozens of Muslims set fire to a Hindu temple in a southern Pakistani city over the alleged desecration of a Koran, officials said on Sunday as police were deployed to quell tensions.

The arson took place on Saturday night in Larkana, the home town of opposition leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari who is the son of assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

It was the latest example of violence over an alleged violation of Pakistan's tough blasphemy laws, which rights groups say are often abused to settle personal scores.

"The law and order problem surfaced in the city Saturday evening after local residents accused a Hindu youth, Surjeet Kumar, of burning pages of the Holy Koran," senior local administration official Ghunwar Leghari told AFP.